People who want an unflavoured meal drink
Plain still water keeps the choice straightforward when fruit flavour and sweetness are not part of what you want with dinner.
Who is each option for?
People who prefer fruit flavour
A sugar-free flavoured water offers another taste, but the ingredients deserve a look if you have preferences about sweeteners, acids or preservatives.
Households sharing dinner
A larger bottle can serve several diners at the table. Check its size against how much you expect to use after opening.
What should you check before choosing?
Decide whether you want plain water or fruit flavour, then check the exact bottle’s sugar information, ingredients and size.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Added sugar | For flavoured water, read the claim, sugars per 100ml and ingredients together. Volvic lists sugar as an ingredient and 2.3g sugars per 100ml in its Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits 1.5L product. | I want to rule out drinks with added sugar, not just choose one described as lower in sugar. |
| Other ingredients | Check the exact flavour’s ingredient list. Volvic lists acesulfame K and sucralose in its Touch of Fruit Sugar Free Strawberry 500ml, alongside 0g sugars per 100ml. | Fruit flavour appeals to me, but I also want to know whether the drink contains sweeteners. |
| Bottle size | Compare the bottle volume and pack count with the number of diners. Check the label for storage instructions after opening. | For one meal at the sofa, I may prefer a smaller bottle; when we share dinner, a larger one may be easier to serve. |
| Still or sparkling | Check whether the water is still or carbonated, as well as whether it is plain or flavoured. | Sometimes I want a still drink with dinner; at other times I would rather have bubbles. |
What is easy to overlook?
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Reading “low sugar” as “no added sugar”
The descriptions are not interchangeable. Volvic’s Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits 1.5L lists sugar as an ingredient and 2.3g sugars per 100ml.
If added sugar is what you want to avoid, check the ingredients as well as the nutrition panel.
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Assuming sugar-free flavoured water is plain water
Volvic Touch of Fruit Sugar Free Strawberry 500ml lists 0g sugars per 100ml but contains sweeteners.
Choose plain water if you do not want flavouring or sweetening ingredients; otherwise, read the ingredient list for the exact flavour.
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Choosing a large bottle for a single meal
A bottle intended for sharing can leave water to store after dinner. The ASDA listing for Buxton Still Natural Mineral Water 6 x 1.5L, for example, says to consume it within three days of opening.
Match the size to the number of diners and check the chosen bottle’s instructions for use after opening.
Relevant brand references
These ranges illustrate different plain and flavoured-water choices; check the particular product rather than assuming every bottle from a brand has the same ingredients.
Highland Spring
Offers plain water and a flavoured-still range.
- Highland Spring describes its flavoured-still range as no added sugar and lists 0g sugars per 100ml in the range information.
- Check the ingredient list on the particular flavour if sweeteners or preservatives affect your choice.
Volvic
Offers plain mineral water and Touch of Fruit Sugar Free flavoured water.
- Volvic offers its Sugar Free range in several bottle sizes, including a 1.5L format it positions for family mealtimes.
- Its Sugar Free Strawberry 500ml contains acesulfame K and sucralose; check ingredients by flavour.
Buxton
A plain still mineral-water option for shoppers who do not want a flavoured drink.
- An ASDA listing identifies a Buxton still-water multipack containing six 1.5L bottles.
- Consider whether that pack size suits one diner or a household sharing meals.
Evian
A plain natural mineral-water reference rather than a flavoured-water choice here.
- Evian describes its water as natural mineral water sourced in the French Alps.
- For a fruit-flavoured drink, check the particular product’s sugar information and ingredients instead of applying plain-water details to it.
Joybuy bottled-water options
These options include flavoured bottles for individual or shared meals and a plain still-water multipack. For any flavoured bottle, check the current label against your no-added-sugar requirement.
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Volvic Touch of Strawberry Sugar Free Water, 6 x 500ml
The 500ml bottles offer individual portions for a meal. Check the current ingredient list if particular sweeteners or other ingredients matter to you.
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Volvic Touch of Fruit Cherry 1.5L
This larger cherry-flavoured bottle is a format to consider for sharing. Check its current sugar information and ingredients before choosing it as a no-added-sugar drink.
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Highland Spring Sugar Free Strawberry Still Water 1.25L
A larger strawberry-flavoured still-water bottle for a meal at home. Read the current ingredients if you want to avoid particular sweeteners, acids or preservatives.
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Highland Spring Still Water, 6 x 1.5L
Plain still spring water suits a meal when you do not want fruit flavour. This six-bottle pack may be more than one diner needs; check the bottle’s storage instructions after opening.
Common questions
Is plain bottled water a no-added-sugar choice for dinner?
Yes. Plain water is the straightforward choice if you want neither added sugar nor fruit flavour with your meal.
Does sugar-free flavoured water contain sweeteners?
It can. Volvic lists acesulfame K and sucralose in its Touch of Fruit Sugar Free Strawberry 500ml, despite listing 0g sugars per 100ml. Read the exact product’s ingredients if sweeteners affect your choice.
Is “low sugar” the same as “no added sugar”?
No. Volvic Touch of Fruit Summer Fruits 1.5L lists sugar as an ingredient and 2.3g sugars per 100ml. Check both the ingredients and nutrition panel when added sugar is the deciding factor.
Should I choose a small bottle or one to share?
Match the size to the number of diners and what you expect to use. A 500ml bottle is an individual format, while Volvic positions its 1.5L Sugar Free format for family mealtimes; follow the chosen bottle’s instructions after opening.